Under cabinet lighting is a great feature in any kitchen because it provides functional lighting to the desperate countertop space shaded by the upper wall cabinets. Not only is it practical, but cabinet lighting also offers a unique and eye-catching aesthetic to upgrade any kitchen decor.
When shopping for under cabinet lighting, it’s important to understand the types of lighting that are available and the advantages and disadvantages of each. The two main sources of cabinet light are halogen lighting and LED lighting. While each option installs cleanly and provides ample amounts of light, there are a lot of differences between the two.
halogen light
Before examining cabinet lighting products, one must understand the basic characteristics of each type of light source. Halogen lamps work similarly to incandescent lights in that they produce light by burning a tungsten filament when connected to a power source. The only difference is that the glass bulb that envelops the filament is filled with gas from the halogen group. This allows the glass to stay close to the wick without melting; Thus allowing the size of the headlight to be more compact. The halogen helps recycle the burnt tungsten atoms back into the filament, making it last longer. To ensure that the glass does not melt, it must be made thicker to handle the increased heat load.
For a number of reasons, halogen bulbs have been commonly used as an under-cabinet light source. It’s the built-in bulbs that last the longest; This makes a perfect under-cabinet lamp. Unfortunately, they still consume about the same amount of energy as incandescent bulbs, and they burn much hotter.
light emitting diodes
LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) generate light by emitting photons of energy. This is a purer form of light that does not produce energy in the form of heat. An LED is created by accumulating a semiconductor material such as aluminum gallium arsenide inside a lens connected to a power source. The whole science is inside semiconductors. Across semiconductors there is a PN junction. When the energy source excites the electrons across this PN junction, visible light is produced in the form of photons. The use of LEDs as a light source provides the highest luminous efficiency. Because it does not waste energy to produce unnecessary heat, it is considered the most energy efficient light source and the ideal light source for cabinet lighting.
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The way manufacturers have applied these technologies to their cabinet lighting products reflects the characteristics of each source. Because halogen bulbs produce a great deal of heat, they are commonly installed in a 120-volt light strip that also uses an air circulation system to cool the bulb and cabinet surface. This wastes more energy producing light and the fixtures are often more bulky and visible than would be desirable.
LED under cabinet lights It is significantly more compact. They do not require a cooling system, and because they consume very little energy, they often run on low voltage sources. 12V AC/DC adapter can effectively light countertop area of less than 12ft or more cabinets. And because the strips operate at low voltages, installation is simplified. LED light strips and components can be connected in a series of male-to-female sockets that originate from the power supply that simply plugs into the outlet. Low voltage transformers can also be wired into a standard wiring harness, as well as dimmer switches, which will result in a professional, clean installation with more energy-saving capabilities.
When comparing the characteristics of halogen and LED lighting to each other, it may not be clear why halogens are under cabinet lighting. The simple answer is that LEDs never produced usable amounts of light until recent developments in semiconductor technology. Now that more capable semiconductors have been developed, LEDs are being implemented in many different consumer products, in ways never imagined.
